The delivery of direct current (DC) power free of transients or other fluctuations is crucial for the operation of many high performance electronic devices. Many of these electronic devices operate at very high frequencies and are adversely affected by transients or other fluctuations in their power supplies. Even small transients or fluctuations will adversely affect many electronic devices. For example, a slight voltage transient in a power supply of a high speed processor may cause data errors, such as a low voltage signal being registered or otherwise interpreted by the processor as a high voltage signal.
Power supplies are typically located on circuit boards that are separate from other components, such as processors, of the electronic devices. This separation provides for simplification of manufacturing in addition to isolating the power supplies from the other components of the electronic devices. The power supplies and other components are able to be manufactured at different locations and connected together at a later time during final assembly. Likewise, either the power supplies or the other components may be repaired or retrofit without the need to repair or retrofit the other. In addition, the separation provides isolation between the power supplies and the other components and reduces the probability that a transient generated in the power supply will be able to affect the operation of the electronic devices.
The isolation, however, creates problems in delivering DC power that is free of transients and other fluctuations to the components of the electronic devices. For example, the conductors that are used to transfer power from the power supplies to the electronic device inherently have inductance and resistance. The inductance increases the probability that a transient will occur on the power supply line, which will adversely affect the performance of the electronic device. The resistance reduces the power that is supplied to the components of the electronic device and increases the heat generated by the electronic device.
In many applications, a cable is connected between the power supply and the electronic device. The flexibility of a cable typically enables the power supply and the electronic device to be connected and disconnected with relative ease. Cables, however, typically have a higher impedance, which in turn makes them more likely to generate transients and voltage fluctuations. Therefore, cables present problems when used in many high speed applications.
An electronic device comprising a first chassis, a second chassis, and at least one flexible circuit extending therebetween is disclosed. In one non-limiting embodiment, the first chassis is oriented along a first axis and comprises at least one first microprocessor. The second chassis is oriented along a second axis and comprises at least one power generating component connectable thereto. The flexible circuit extends between the first chassis and the second chassis. The flexible circuit comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connectable to the first chassis and the second end is connectable to the second chassis. The first chassis is movable relative to the second chassis between a position wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the second axis and a position wherein the first axis is substantially parallel to the second axis.